APOST Fall Conference for Out-of-School Time

The APOST Fall Conference for Out-of-School Time (OST) is a professional development conference that shares best practices in youth development. The conference is open to youth practitioners who want to increase their skills in working with youth in out-of-school time programs or mentoring relationships.

This Fall, we’re excited to present Diana Laufenberg as the Keynote Speaker. Diana was a secondary social studies teacher for 16 years, and currently serves as the Executive Director for Inquiry Schools, a non-profit she started in partnership with Chris Lehmann, to create and support student centered learning environments that are inquiry driven, project based, and utilize modern learning techniques. Diana’s practice has deep roots in experiential education, “taking students from the classroom to the real world and back again.”

As a once active member of the teaching community in Flagstaff, Arizona, Diana was named Technology Teacher of the Year and a member of the Governor’s Master Teacher Corps. Diana was also featured on TED.com for her “How to Learn? From Mistakes” talk, and recognized for earning National Board Certification.

Her publications include a featured piece on the New York Times Learning blog, co-authoring a chapter in an educational leadership book, and an article in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. As an expert in the field, Diana will discuss the benefits Experiential Learning and how to incorporate more opportunities for youth to do so in your programs. You can follow her on twitter at @dlaufenberg and @InqSchls.

Click here to register, and read more below for a detailed agenda and workshop descriptions!

Agenda

Join Diana in a discussion of a range of experiential education examples – What defined the experience? How was it successful? Where did it falter? How were partners included positively and productively? We will work as a group to think through the range of activities and the factors that determine a positive and productive experience.

How Out-of-School Time Providers Can Harness Strong Relationships with Youth Using Everyday Mentoring (Positive Spaces Track)

This workshop is designed to provide caring adults with the tools they need to continue a successful, high quality relationship with the youth in their lives through experiential learning. This workshop will call attention to the importance of a strong youth-adult relationship, enhance the skills necessary to support a young person, and provide opportunities for problem-solving while learning how to access ongoing education and support through The Mentoring Partnership.

Structure & Clear Limits (Theory in Practice Track)

How do you prevent chaos in a youth environment without stifling the positive energy of youth? Youth need structure and clear limits in order to feel safe. This interactive workshop helps participants analyze the level of structure in their programs and practice identifying and maintaining clear limits.

Incorporating Physical Activity Breaks (Engaging Activities Track)

Looking to incorporate more physical activity into your OST programming? Short on time and/or space? Come learn how tips and tools to help incorporate physical activity breaks into any after-school format. This session will cover simple games and activities that can be done in a variety of spaces and settings to help encourage kids to be active during after-school programs. This is a hands-on, interactive session, so be prepared to get up and moving!

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM Session Two

How Providers Can Promote Healthy Eating within Themselves and their Students (Experiential Learning Track)

This professional development workshop empowers providers to be healthy role models by teaching basic nutrition and healthy cooking through classroom based activities. Providers will learn about various nutrition/cooking programs offered by Common Threads and get to sample healthy snacks that students could enjoy in programming.

Don’t Be a Trigger: A Trauma Informed Care Approach for Out-of-School Time Programs (Positive Spaces Track)

Our past experiences – personal, familial, societal – influence our brain development and shape how we interpret and respond to the world. In this session, Out-of-School time providers will learn how trauma might manifest in their program and how to begin to create a trauma informed community.

“With every falling flake, a unique spark of interest falls from heaven” (Master P). Young people ARE those falling flakes…unique in interests, potential, and promise. Being intentional about empowering youth can enhance their mental wellness and impact them for a lifetime. This is because most mental illnesses begin during childhood. In this workshop we’ll discuss common mental conditions, demystify mental health, and develop empowerment efforts workers can use to engage youth and MASTER mental wellness.

Making SMART Fashion (Engaging Activities Track)

Looking to spice up your program with fun and creative activities? In this workshop, participants will learn how to incorporate fashion focused initiatives into STEM programming by using fabrication tools and materials. Come learn how to explore and create with Shimira Williams, the creator of The Beauty of S.T.E.M. initiative.

12:30 PM – 1:20 PM Lunch

1:20 PM – 2:50 PM Session 3

Youth Voice (Experiential Learning Track)

Are you providing young people with authentic, meaningful choices throughout your program? Does your program reflect the input of the youth involved? Research shows that quality programs incorporate youth input at both activity and organizational levels. This workshop will emphasize the importance of offering real choices and meaningful participation to youth, and nurturing youth leadership. This interactive workshop is focused on providing meaningful choice within activities and opportunities for youth input within the youth program itself.

The compassion many of us feel for those we help can affect us in both positive and negative ways. Overcoming Compassion Fatigue is designed to encourage caregivers and helping professionals to invest the time needed to practice good self-care, model and teach the importance of good self-care to clients, disconnect from the work day while at home and find renewal in their work. These practices will allow helping professionals to experience more balance and satisfaction in their personal and professional lives in order to be more effective with clients and build stronger communities.

In this workshop, participants will learn the approach of building and working with youth within a positive, motivational, and supportive environment through incorporation of the 5 C’s into programming: Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Contribution.

Early Coding with Scratch Jr (Engaging Activities Track)

PBS KIDS ScratchJr is a developmentally appropriate creative coding app for children ages five through eight. The app features characters from a number of PBS KIDS media properties including; WILD KRATTS, NATURE CAT, READY JET GO!, WORDGIRL, ARTHUR, PEG+CAT, and ODD SQUAD. Educators will learn how they can support student as they create their own interactive stories, games, and animations by snapping together colorful programming blocks to make their favorite characters move, jump, dance, and sing.
The app is available for free on iPad, Android, and Amazon tablets. It will run on any iPad 2+, including all iPad minis and iPad Airs with iOS 7.0+ installed. It also runs on any Android tablet, 7-inches or larger, that is running Android 4.2+. It does not need web-access to run.